For anyone even remotely familiar with the Reformation, the name of John Tetzel rings a bell. His is a name that will live in infamy on the pages of history. The history books tell us:
"John Tetzel is infamous for arousing the ire of Martin Luther by his outrageous claims for the sale of Catholic indulgences. He was given the task of raising money for the building of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. He was exceptionally good at it, and his claims for the effect of indulgences were exceptionally extreme and superstitious.
"He's famous for this claim: 'As soon as the gold in the coffer rings; the rescued soul to heaven springs.' John Tetzel fed on using those superstitious fears. It was easy to convince people who believed that their dear mother, departed wife, or beloved child were at that very moment burning in flames in purgatory, that they ought to pay money to release them from their torment." (From "Christian History")
A person could purchase another type of indulgence.
"The other type of indulgence guarantees the promise of the remission of temporal punishment upon the basis of certain prescribed “good works,” e.g., fasting, prayers, pilgrimages, etc. Mainly, though, the promise was that the pains of purgatory could be minimized by the payment of money into the treasury of the Roman Catholic church.
"The construction of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome was partially financed by the sale of indulgences. Tetzel traveled throughout Germany selling indulgences on behalf of the Church.
"These indulgences not only bestowed pardon for sins committed already, they were used to license the commission of future transgressions as well."
Historian Merle D’Aubigne relates an amusing incident:
A certain Saxon nobleman heard Tetzel proclaiming his doctrine of indulgences, and the gentleman was angered at the church's perversion of the truth. So, he approached the monk one day and inquired as to whether he might purchase an indulgence for a sin he intended to commit.
“Most assuredly,” replied Tetzel, “I have received full powers from his holiness for that purpose.”
After some haggling, a fee of thirty crowns was agreed upon, and the nobleman departed.
Together with some friends, he hid himself in a nearby forest. Presently, as Tetzel journeyed that way, the knight and his companions attacked the salesman, gave him a light beating, and relieved him of his money, taking no effort to disguise themselves.
Tetzel was enraged and filed suit in the courts. When the nobleman appeared as the defendant, he produced the letter of exemption containing John Tetzel’s personal signature, which absolved him of any liability.
When Duke George (the judge before whom the action was brought) examined the document, exasperated though he was, he ordered the accused to be released.
You might be thinking the abuse of the gullible died with John T. Think again. John Tetzel lives today! And this is where Joyce Meyer enters stage left with an absurd false teaching of which John Tetzel would be proud.
A pastor, demonstrating his ignorance of the Bible and of church history, gushed effusively and excitedly to his huge church as he introduced Joyce Meyer to the thunderous applause of the congregation as, "The best Bible teacher in America!"
Little did the equally biblically illiterate and historically ignorant know that they were applauding a heretic and a corrupt one at that.
Joyce Meyer spoke of a conversation she had with someone named Dr. Roberts, and said, "He talked about something awesome." She went on to say that he told her, "The Bible talks about giving and receiving. God taught me that another way to say that word is 'receipting.'" [No, that is not another way to say "receiving" nor is it another meaning of the Greek word "receive" in the New Testament.]
From that platform of absurdity, Joyce Meyer then moved in for the kill in true Tetzel fashion, "When you give, you get a receipt in heaven. Then when you have a need, you can go to God and say, 'You see God, I have got my receipt from my sowing ["sowing" means giving money to Joyce Meyer] and now I have a need and I'm cashing in my receipt.'"
At this point, the easily taken in began to applaud, not realizing that a female version of John Tetzel was in their midst. Their applause was their stamp of approval, sheep ripe for the shearing. Joyce Meyer carries her shears with her. The shearing has been profitable over the years.
"Once upon a time, Ms. Joyce took to the skies in a Bombardier Challenger 600. Facing criticism over this, Joyce replied that “there’s no need for us to apologize for being blessed.”
Apparently that “blessing” wasn’t sufficient to serve the Lord, however, and so a few years (and a Senate investigation into her ministry’s “tax-exempt” status later) she traded up to a Gulfstream IV.
Blessing or no, the Gulfstream IV is a top flight private jet, with a crew of two, room for nineteen passengers, and a top cruising speed of Mach 0.85." (From "Areocorner.com) She says that she can't travel commercial because, "It's too hard." [That mode of travel is for the unwashed herd, not the elite.]
You too can have a Gulfstream IV for a cost of between $3,495,000 and $4,500,000 with 19 currently advertised for sale. All you need are some mighty big shears.
Joyce Meyer’s house in Missouri is located in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton. The house, which sits on 10 acres of land, is 10,000 square feet and features five bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, a pool, and a pool house. The estimated value of the property is $10 million.
Joyce Meyer’s Florida home is located in the upscale community of Longboat Key. The house is situated on a one-acre lot and has six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and a pool. The house also boasts stunning views of the Gulf of Mexico. The estimated value of the property is $4.5 million.
In addition to her Missouri and Florida homes, Joyce Meyer also owns a property in Los Angeles, California. The house, which is currently on the market, is listed for $6.5 million.
Joyce Meyer also owns a vacation home in the mountains of Colorado. The house sits on 10 acres of land and features four bedrooms, five bathrooms, and a private lake.
A reporter asked Joyce Meyer if she felt any guilt about taking the rent money from those who were struggling to make ends meet while she lives the life of Croesus. Her laconic answer: "No."
This is only one aspect of her heresies. Her damaging doctrines of demons (Cf. I Timothy 4:1) also include the person of Christ and the atonement.
A heretic is loose in the vineyard and they love to have it so.
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